In January of 2017, a 20-year-old man who was a passenger in a white Cadillac died of multiple blunt injuries, according to 23ABC News. The Cadillac was hit by a semi-truck on Highway 99 at Rosedale Highway about 1 p.m. The accident happened just north of Rosedale. The truck collided with the passenger side of the vehicle.

The truck accident blocked two lanes of the highway, causing traffic to become congested. Large amounts of oil covered the lanes in that area and caused lane closures. The roadways reopened approximately four hours later.

California Highway Patrol said the truck accident resulted from a combination of wet roadways and high speed. The driver, a 19-year-old male, was taken to the hospital after the crash. His injuries were unknown at the time. Later, California Highway Patrol ruled the truck-car crash an accident.

In December of 2016, the California Highway Patrol confirmed that two people died and three were injured in a truck accident northbound I-5 close to SR-166. According to an initial investigation by police, a semi-truck collided with the back of a Jeep SUV. The driver, a father, and his 3-year-old son were instantly killed in the truck accident. His wife along with their two children, one approximately 4 and other 9, were transported to the hospital. Their injuries, at the time, were not known.

Police later confirmed that the driver of the Jeep SUV had stopped on the right shoulder of I-5. The truck driver involved in the accident moved from the second lane to the right shoulder. The truck driver attempted to swerve left and stop after seeing the Jeep but was unable to do so in time. The impact caused the Jeep to overturn and burst into flames.

It is unknown whether the truck drivers in both truck accidents will face criminal charges. No one knows if the family members of the individuals will file wrongful death lawsuits. What is known is that more accidents are occurring in the California area because of trucks on the roadways.

California has Seen an Increase in Accidents Caused by Commercial Trucks

According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, or DMV, 70 fatal accidents were caused by trucks in 2013. The number of fatal accidents involving trucks during that year was 256. In 2014, the rate of accidents involving trucks increased by 9%.

California Truck Accidents can lead to a Wrongful Death

A truck accident caused by another driver may kill an innocent victim. The victim’s family may be allowed to sue for wrongful death. Wrongful death occurs when a person negligently causes an accident that results in death. A surviving family member such as a spouse or child can sue for money related to the victim’s death such as:

Funeral costs

Future Earnings

We will work with professionals to attempt to…

Prove loss of salaries, earnings and prove future earnings potential

Medical bills sustained from the injury

Pain and suffering experienced by the deceased prior to death. This also includes psychological pain

The loss of companionship that the deceased provided to a spouse or family members

Hundreds of people die in crashes involving large trucks in California. Unfortunately, truck accident in California can be deadly. If your loved one died in a Bakersfield truck accident, contact the wrongful death attorneys at the Law Offices of Mickey Fine so we can discuss providing you legal representation.